How did Zweig die ~ ~ ~

Three steps and two views repost 2005-12/2913: 50 View comments

1On February 23rd, 942, it suddenly came out that the Zweigs committed suicide by taking poison in Brazil, South America. In the past forty years, German literature researchers have explored the cause of this writer's death, raised various questions and made various explanations. Why did Zweig come to this dead end? Does he live in exile, with no livelihood and poverty? Still can't see the future, pessimistic and desperate?

Before Hitler came to power, Zweig saw that fascism had ulterior motives and was by no means good. 1933 Shortly after the fascists came to power, they created an arson case in China in an attempt to prove to the whole world that international nationalism, namely world Judaism, conspired to overthrow the German government and was the mortal enemy of the German people. However, fascism was self-defeating, and everyone with a discerning eye saw the secret of the fire. The film The Secret of Fire, adapted from Zweig's novel, is being staged in Berlin. People stood in front of the billboard, smiling at each other, tacitly. This smile angered the guilty fascist bandits. These real arsonists finally tore up the advertisement and the film was banned. Then, fanatical Nazi college students in Berlin burned books of progressive writers and Jewish writers in the square to show their faith in fascism and loyalty to the Fuehrer. A large number of books, including the works of Heine, thomas mann and Zweig, were burned, and all the works of these writers were banned. A large number of progressives, Jewish intellectuals, scientists and writers were persecuted, put into concentration camps or forced into exile, and white terror appeared in Germany. According to Mein Kampf and Hitler's words and deeds before and after the fascist came to power, Zweig, who has made a profound analysis of many historical events and figures, also analyzed this man. When Hitler was young, as a down-and-out artist, he lived on the streets of Vienna, with no food and clothing and no way out. Because of this, he will never forgive Vienna or leave Austria alone. One day, his luck will change. He must enter Vienna as a winner and see the city that once humiliated him fall at his feet. Therefore, when most Europeans, including experienced politicians like Chamberlain, have illusions about Hitler and think that appeasement can satisfy fascism, Zweig has clearly seen the evil nature of fascism. 1934, his property was robbed, which is an action taken by the Austrian authorities that is difficult to justify. So Zweig left Salzburg for England. 1938, Austria was annexed by fascism. From 1934 to 1940, Zweig lived in England except for two trips to America. He obtained British citizenship in 1940, went to the United States and finally lived in Brazil. During this period, he devoted himself to writing his autobiography "Yesterday's World" and created the last novella "The Story of Chess" published before his death. Until the last moment of his life, Zweig did not lack any material and never lacked honor. His lecture tour in America always wins again and again. He held a reading meeting of his works in Brazil, which was always crowded and very popular. He has British nationality, unlike some exiled Jews who are discriminated against everywhere and struggle on the hunger line; He has a long-term visa to Brazil and is a special guest of China. So, why did he kill himself?

We might as well look at the suicide note he wrote on the day of suicide:

"Before I leave my life voluntarily and fully awake, I have one last obligation to fulfill, and that is to sincerely thank this wonderful country Brazil, which has given me and my work a place to rest in such a friendly and hospitable way. My love for this country is growing day by day. The world where I speak the same language has sunk for me, and my spiritual hometown, Europa, has also destroyed itself. From then on, I'd rather start my life here again. But a person over 60 needs special strength to start from scratch again, and my strength is exhausted because of years of homelessness and wandering around the world. So I think it's better to end my life in time without losing my dignity. For me, mental work is the purest happiness, and personal freedom is the noblest wealth in the world. I salute all my friends! May they see the rising sun after this long night! I can't wait to get ahead of them! "

Zweig's autobiography "Yesterday's World" written before his suicide is actually a more detailed suicide book. Looking back on his life, he described the world of yesterday, and he belongs to this world. In that world, as a writer, he can influence people's thoughts and touch people's feelings. In this real world, he feels powerless. So he recalled what romain rolland said to him: "It (art) can comfort us, but it can do nothing about reality." Therefore, after he finished writing The Story of Chess, he stopped writing, and his 32-year Balzac research ended here. In fact, the story of chess is a very powerful weapon to expose fascism, but its effectiveness is inherent and slow. But Zweig was impatient and lost patience. The reason why mental work is his highest pleasure is that he can influence people through mental work. Since it can't affect people, it's better to die. We mentioned his material advantages during his exile, but material is not the main reason and condition that determines a person's happiness or misfortune. Mental torture is often worse than physical torture, especially for people with sharp minds and delicate feelings. This point, he wrote very profoundly in "The Story of Chess", and he is also very convincing personally. In various fascist prisons, how many outstanding people can't bear this torture and finally have a mental breakdown; How many people, because they can't stand this silent and invisible torture, feel extremely painful inside, and finally find a way to get rid of the pain in suicide. Zweig was abroad, but he didn't suffer the bad luck of his relatives and friends, but he left his hometown and became an exile in the four seas, and his heart was also tortured. His sensitive mind not only bears his own pain, but also shares the worries of his relatives, friends and persecuted compatriots in the motherland. So, he felt exhausted. This is not physical fatigue, but mental fatigue. Just like Napoleon's mental state during the "Hundred Days" described in Fu Xie, he has lost his resistance to the blow of fate. The psychoanalyst is also a sensitive and sensitive person. In addition, he is honest, not only considering personal safety and honor. His humanitarian ideal and vision for the future of mankind were destroyed by the gunfire of the Second World War. Even the fire started a prairie fire, bones were everywhere, human nature disappeared, morality fell, and human beings degenerated into man-eating beasts, which shattered his ideals and illusions. A few days before he committed suicide, the news of the fall of Singapore came. At this moment, he further felt exhausted, and life was worse than death. He thinks that man can see the "rising sun" one day, but it needs to wait and go through a long-term struggle between good and evil, and he can only wait and endure in this struggle, which is unacceptable to him. This kind of waiting is torture. In order to get rid of this torture, he decided to end his life in time without losing his dignity. He thinks that death means going back to his hometown. He is not a soldier and has no strong heart, so he can't be expected to fight to the last breath. He is an honest man and a serious writer. He once sympathized with the sufferings of others and wrote a series of touching works. Let us also shed tears of sympathy for his death and condemn the evil fascism for the fall of such a talented writer.

After Zweig's death, the Brazilian President ordered a state funeral for the master. Tens of thousands of people attended the writer's recital not long ago and followed the hearse sadly to his funeral. The Brazilian government decided to buy the villa in Petropolis where Zweig lived in the last few days before his death as a museum for people to visit.

Before fascism came to power, Zweig's creation was in full swing, and there were many readers among German writers, few of whom could surpass him. His works are refined and popular, and sales have soared. His thoughts are profound but not obscure, his words are simple but not superficial, and his plot is moving without any trace of axe. He didn't have the mysterious common fault of German writers, didn't play with profound "philosophical thinking", and didn't deliberately create strange words to show off his erudition. Zweig's pure, true and approachable style is the main reason why he won readers. In the eyes of readers, Zi Chengge is not only an outstanding artist, but also a friend who can comfort and enlighten people. However, such an excellent writer has long been ignored by literary historians and critics.

1933 years ago, literary critics who were slow to reflect had no time to make a proper evaluation of his works. 1933, Zweig's works were burned and banned, and the Jewish writer almost disappeared from the field of vision of German scholars.

After 1945, Zweig's works first aroused strong repercussions in the United States and Japan, and then in the Soviet Union, but only in German-speaking countries seemed to be forgotten. Until the centenary of Zweig's birth in 198 1, S. Fischer Publishing House of the Federal Republic of Germany reprinted Zweig's works, including his novellas "Wonderful Night" and "Emotional Chaos", his biographies of writers "Three Masters" and "Fighting with the Devil", and his biographies of historical figures "Joseph Fouché" and "The Devil". Readers seem to have discovered a new literary star, and since then Zweig has become famous, not only

The famous articles he published before his death were reprinted one by one, and even the manuscripts he never published before his death were arranged and printed by Croute Baker. Therefore, readers can enjoy Zweig's other two novels, The Intoxication of Metamorphosis and Clarissa, as well as other short stories published for the first time. Zweige fever, which started in 198 1 year, has continued to this day. This at least shows that being forgotten is not his own fault. Fifty years ago, at the end of World War II, the powerful Fuehrer gang was buried in the ruins and reviled by the times, but Zweig is immortal in the hearts of readers all over the world. In order to make readers in China have a more comprehensive and profound understanding of Zweig, a literary master who is almost forgotten and now reappears brilliantly, famous scholars and experienced translators in the German field in China have jointly translated this collection of novels. Their hard work ensured the quality of this collection of novels. Express heartfelt thanks and sincere respect to them.

We are convinced that this outstanding Viennese master will not only impress the readers in China with his outstanding works, but also win the sympathy, respect and love of the people in China with his lofty spirit.